


(Not the) Worst kind of First

by Ill_Ratte



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Autistic RK900, First Day, Fluff, Gavin has OCD, Gavin tiddy appreciation, M/M, Misgendering, Neopronouns, Nines uses they/them, Nonbinary RK900, Trans Gavin Reed, sensory issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:34:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22855549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ill_Ratte/pseuds/Ill_Ratte
Summary: Niles isn’t exactly excited for their first day on the job, and as they’re paired up with the notorious(ly cranky) Gavin Reed, they can’t help but wonder if it’s all a wash. Is Gavin better than he seems? Or is this the worst first day they could have had?
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 7
Kudos: 124





	(Not the) Worst kind of First

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ListeningBoy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ListeningBoy/gifts).



Niles was not exactly ready for their first day of work. It wasn’t like they hadn’t passed at the top of their classes back at the academy, but as they stepped into the Bullpen, all of Connor’s stories swirling in the back of their mind, they couldn’t help but falter. Their new partner was supposed to be Gavin Reed, a man Niles had only heard bad things about. He was an ass, and a bully, and all around a pain to his coworkers. 

As Niles picked their way through the crowd of desks, they scratched at the Just-a-bit frayed hem of their light blue sweater. While they had claimed to Connor that they needed to look nice on their first day, it was more of a comfort item than not. 

The noise in the bullpen was deafening. At least, it felt that way, as it buffeted against Niles. Like claws scraping against their ears. Desperately, they wished they had brought their head-phones. They were good ones, noise-cancelling and with blue cat ears because why not, but Connor had told Niles that it was a bit unprofessional to wear them to work. Still, they tried to focus as they found the empty desk meant for them. 

The chair was empty, and they tentatively sat on it, wincing just a little as the chair swiveled. They did not like being in motion. 

“You ok there, kid?” 

Niles snapped up, eyes locking on the speaker. “Y-Yeah…” They were perhaps the most handsome human Niles had ever seen. They were on the shorter side, with gelled back brown hair and a rather handsome patch of stubble, and strangely intense eyes that hurt too much to look into. Well, that was true of most eyes, and Niles quickly affixed their gaze on the person’s chest. Which was another mistake, given that they had a very nice chest, which seemed to have a bit more than just pecs going on, and made their stomach feel a bit funny in a very pleasant way. 

“You don’t look ok.” The person snorted, and the blooming, face-reddening crush shattered. Well, not all the way. But they had no reason to be that rude. 

Niles swallowed hard, fixing their eyes on the person’s mouth. A very kissable mouth, even if it was contorted into a smirk. “M fine.” 

“Well, The fuck are you doing here, then? This is my desk. Scram.” They motioned with their hand like Niles was a naughty puppy, and Niles bristled. 

“Well, I’m supposed to be here!”

The person stiffened. “What? You the new kid?” 

“Yes.” For a minute, their mind faltered at the person’s blank stare. What were they supposed to say? They settled on the script they used for meeting all new people. “You may call me Niles. I go by they/them pronouns, but my auxiliary” (Nines hoped to god they knew what ‘auxiliary’ meant) “pronouns are he/him.”

The person blinked, and Nines waited for some snide remark. In 2038, attack helicopter jokes were mostly out of style in the workplace, but Niles never could be sure what they’d hear. Instead, the person just nodded.   
“Call me Gavin, or Reed. I don’t care. And he/him is fine for me.” 

“Ok, Mr Reed.” 

“Scratch that. Just call me Gavin. So you’re Connor’s little… whatever, right?” Gavin slipped into his chair, pulling out his phone. 

“Brother, I guess. And yeah, I am.” Niles didn’t know whether to comment further. 

“Bet he shit talked me real good, didn’t he?”

Niles studied the cuff of their sweater again, picking at a half-unraveled thread. 

“Well? Cat got your tongue? Or do you not wanna talk about it?”

Was this a lying situation? Maybe. “He didn’t say much.”

“Bullshit.” Gavin snickered. “You don’t have to be polite, kid. I’ve heard it all.” 

Niles shook their head. The thread had almost come undone, and if they just yanked a little harder… When Niles next looked up, Gavin was suitably occupied with his phone. Well, maybe a bit too occupied. His eyes flitted over the screen, just a bit more intense than normal. And he looked like he was muttering under his breath. 

Niles didn’t want to interrupt, except it was their first day on the job and it felt wrong to already fuck it up by not doing anything. Tentatively, they whispered, “Gavin? Hey Gavin?” No answer. So instead, they snaked their hand out, poking one nail into Gavin’s arm. 

Gavin jumped. “Christ! The fuck do you think you’re doing??” 

Niles flinched at the anger, but when they looked up, Gavin looked more like a deer caught in headlights than anything else. “S-Sorry! I just wanted to know when we would get to work!” 

Gavin swallowed. “Whatever. Just… don’t do it again, ok? And we’re doing right now.” The chair pushed back with more force than necessary, and Niles regretted saying anything. It looked like it was going to be a long first day. 

——- 

The car ride was thankfully silent, and Niles used the time to recuperate from the bullpen. Gavin still seemed on edge, clenching his teeth and tapping his foot against the floor of the car. It was starting to get on Niles nerves a little, but the last thing they wanted was to bother Gavin again. 

As they pulled into the scene, Niles waited for Gavin to get out first, following obediently behind him. They just wanted everything to pass smoothly. 

Gavin didn’t bother them as they entered the building after him, and it seemed tense flexes of their mouth muscles counted as enough of a greeting for most of the officers. It was almost too easy. 

So of course, when they stepped into the room where the body was, the AC had to be broken. At least it was quiet, just an “Eeeeeeeeeh” in the background, but it was still There, and Niles rugged hard on the kind of very unraveled cuff of their sweater. Connor wouldn’t be pleased when he saw them. 

It seemed Gavin was content to work on his own, crouching down over the body and poking around, so Niles followed suit, kneeling over the legs. The smell made their stomach churn, but at least it allowed them to focus on something other than the noise. 

“Fucking hell.” Gavin grunted. Niles eyes twitched to him, watching as he shook his hand. It must have touched the blood by accident, because he wiped it briskly against his side. 

And yet, the way he did it, three times, each time ending with Gavin brushing his fingers against part of the smooth wooden floor, made Niles pause. It reminded them just a little too much of the way they “got rid of” bad textures they had touched. 

“What’re you staring at?” Gavin huffed. 

Words didn’t come out, so Niles shook their head, staring intently at the victim’s shoes. They were scuffed with dried mud, meaning they had been out recently. When had it last rained? Niles tried to remember, but the “Eeeeeh” of the AC dragged its nails right against their eardrums. 

Almost overpowering enough that Niles didn’t hear one of the officers muttered “Who is she?” 

Niles froze. It was like someone had stuck a knife in his back, and the longer the officer looked at him, the more it twisted. But Niles vocal cords were frozen solid. 

“They.” 

“What?” The Officer asked. Niles unfroze long enough to glance at Gavin. He had his arms crossed, and Niles was thankful the anger on his face wasn’t directed at them. 

“Niles goes by they. Dumbass.” 

The officer flinched and muttered an apology. Niles was just glad it was over. 

By the time they had finished looking at the body, Niles could barely keep their eyes open. And yet, as they trudged back to Gavin’s car, they couldn’t quiet the little niggling in the back of their mind.

When Gavin pulled out of the driveway, he turned left instead of right. Niles figured he had an alternate way of getting back to the precinct, but as they drove on, Niles began to doubt it. The car was uncomfortably silent, too. 

Finally, they pulled into the parking lot of a convenience store. Gavin slipped out of the car, staring at him from the pavement. “You coming?” 

Niles nodded. The store was quiet, thankfully, and they shoved their hands into their pockets to keep them from moving. They had just decided that Gavin had stopped here for a snack when Gavin pulled them into the electronics aisle. 

“You need noise-canceling ones, right? Blue ok? You seem like a fan of the color…” 

Niles blinked. “What?”

“Do you want blue headphones?”

“But… why?”

“You don’t like loud noises. At least, I think you don’t. And trust me, Fowler won’t care as long as you’re still able to do your work. Specially since this’ll help you.”

Niles could barely get out that they had their own before Gavin brought them to the counter. 

“Mine’re at home. Just… didn’t think it was professional.”

“Bullshit. And… you’ll still need em for the rest of your shift, right?” Before Niles could argue, the headphones were paid for, and Gavin was carrying them in a bag back out to the car. 

“Thank you.” Niles finally said. “For sticking up for me back at the crime scene, too. Not many people do that.” No one had ever, actually, but they didn’t need to mention that. 

“It’s no problem. I’ve got the money for the headphones, and I mean, us trans people gotta stick up for each other, right?”

“You’re trans??” It felt like they were breaking a social script, but shock outweighed any other compunctions. 

“What? Thought you knew, since you spent half of the afternoon staring at my tits.” 

Niles tittered and looked at their hands. The thread on their sweater had almost completely come off. “Didn’t want to assume. So you’re a trans man?” 

“Non-binary trans man, yeah. And I, uhh, go by ae/aer pronouns, too, by the way. Just not at the office.” 

Niles nodded. Then smiled. “Does that mean… you would like to see me some place other than the office?” 

Gavin laughed, and Niles flinched. Gavin shot his hands up to placate them. “Moving a bit quick there, aren’t we, hot shot?” 

“You’re the one who implied it…” Had he? A pit formed in Niles’ stomach as they started to doubt themselves. 

“I did. But why don’t we just grab some coffee first. Nice and sweet. And you can stare at my body all you want.”

“Today?” 

“Tomorrow. Think we’re both a bit burned out right now.” Gavin reaches over, patting their back, and Niles found themself leaning into the touch. Being with Gavin felt good.


End file.
